As summer ends down in Georgia, I feel obligated to look back at everything these wonderful two months has brought me: new adventures, friends, continents, sleeping in until 10:30 a.m. and so much more. I have always been one to try and soak up every new opportunity that life has brought me, so here is a brief reflection of the last two months and why I am ready to start the next chapter in my life.
This summer marked the first time that most of my friends (not me) obtained their licenses due to the fact of most of them had already turned 16. This opened the door to so much in my life. Since I was young, summer had always been drilled into my mind as this particular moment in time where anything was possible, and I can honestly say that this is the first year that I felt this come true — from going on random lunch and dinner dates to restaurants that I had always wanted to check out to the freedom of being able to go nearly anywhere in the Atlanta area. To this, I am so grateful for the people that took me these places and enjoyed every moment of it with me.
Adding on to the new experiences, I was fortunate enough to be able to have done a lot of traveling this summer. Places I could have never imagined to have so much beauty in their people and scenery were opened to me, and I hope that I will be able to go back someday. Once you start to travel, there is a longing inside of you to see what else is out there. Being exposed to a broader and more diverse world shows just how small the space in the universe you occupy and how everything that you have perceived to be certain of the world is merely an opinion.
Because of this, I now see why those you don't or cannot travel may have a closed minded view on the world. People are closed minded because they have never seen anything other than what has been proven true by their experiences, and while there is nothing wrong with not knowing everything, and I am certainly not saying I do, it's hard to have an opinion on a world you've never seen. Summer has brought me the opportunity to truly see this and to that, I will be eternally grateful.
Summer, on top of this, is a time to relax. Whether reading a book inside wrapped up in a cocoon of blankets or laying out by some pool with a bathing suit, I can definitely say that I have had time to replenish my energy and desire to learn. Most would agree that school is draining and that summer is the time to take a break from this. This is one of my favorite things about summer — being free from obligations and all.
All that being said and while I do love summer, it cannot last forever. All great things must end. So as school is starting I will try to see the good in that because it doesn't make sense to live in the past while summer will come again. So for now, look forward to Friday night lights and routine.
